Lockheed protests C-130J exclusion from JCA contest
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Lockheed protests C-130J exclusion from JCA contest
I can't think why the US Army wouldn't want the C-130J. Wonderful aircraft!
See Flight International here:
http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/08/23/Navigation/177/208569/Lockheed+Martin+launches+official+protest+over+US+Army's+exc lusion+of+C-130J+Hercules+from+Joint.html
See Flight International here:
http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/08/23/Navigation/177/208569/Lockheed+Martin+launches+official+protest+over+US+Army's+exc lusion+of+C-130J+Hercules+from+Joint.html
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Itīs inter-service politics. The army wants a smaller 2 engined aircraft with maintenance farmed out to the manufacturer. With the scale of the programme, the army would stay in charge even if the USAF bought some.
If the C-130 were purchased the USAF would perform the maintenance and, because of their other purchases, have the upper hand in the programme - and training, and logistics, and no doubt want to man a combined fleet for "economy of scale" etc.
Interestingly, the USAF originally said it was interested in the programme because its C-130s in Iraq and Afghanistan are operating at under a 50% load factor and it would be more economic to have and operate a smaller aircraft....
So, better, for the army, to kill the option off now......
If the C-130 were purchased the USAF would perform the maintenance and, because of their other purchases, have the upper hand in the programme - and training, and logistics, and no doubt want to man a combined fleet for "economy of scale" etc.
Interestingly, the USAF originally said it was interested in the programme because its C-130s in Iraq and Afghanistan are operating at under a 50% load factor and it would be more economic to have and operate a smaller aircraft....
So, better, for the army, to kill the option off now......